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. UNITED STATES PATENT -EEICEO JOHN YOUNG, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssICNOEfTO THE wEsTEEN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OE sAME PLACE.

, AUTO/MATIC FIRE-ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 382,788, dated May 15, 1888.

Application tiled May 21, 1883.

buildings and connect them in branch circuits with battery and signaling apparatus at tire'- patrol stations or engine-houses, so that when the mercury rises sufficiently in a thermostat to close the circuit an indication will be made upon the annunciator at the patrol or engine house with which it is connected. When annunciators are thus relied upon to receive the signals, no satisfactory means have been herei tofore employed for detecting false'alarms.

Signals, however, have been sent in at stated 'intervals by a break-wheel set in motion by clock-work, as is shown in Patent No. 271,598,

granted February 6, 1883, to George F. Bulen.

The system of Bulen simply tests the line at stated intervals. No means are shown for detecting false signals. The system, however, worked quite satisfactorily until the telephone came into use, necessitating the use'of many lines, in the construction and repair of which the re-alarm wires are frequently crossed and grounded, thus sending in false alarms that cannot be distingushed from alarms caused by re. l

The object of my invention is toy enable the watchman at a tire-patrol station' or enginehouse to distinguish true alarms from those sent'in accidentally.

My invention relates to the lire-alarms heretofore employed in cities; and it consists in the combination' hereinafter claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the operative parts of my signal-box in its normal position. Fig. 2 is a view of the character-wheel and pawl or circuit-closer in the position they are left after a signal has been sent, showing the circuit open between the wheel and the pawl. Fig. 3 is an illustrative diagram of the circuits between two Serial No. 95,621. (No model.)

buildings and the patrol-station, with my signal-box arranged in accordance with my invention.

A is the patrol-station, and B and C, respectively, buildings provided with thermostats.

The thermostats a a a b b b (shown in the drawings) consist of a contact-point'and a ribbon composed of two metals, as steel and zinc, which are differentlyexpanded by heat. The ribbon on being heated isthus caused to close upon the contact-point and thus close the circuit. I have shown this form for clearness in illustration. I prefer, however, the other well-known form of thermostat, which consists of mercury, Src., placed in a glass bulb and provided with terminals, so-that when the mercury is expanded by heat it willl come in contact with the upper terminal and thus close Athe circuit.

The battery c is placed, preferably, at the central lstation and connected by means of circuit wires with the different buildings or groups ofthermostats. Any convenient number of thermos'tats maybe includedI in a group.

I have shown but two groups, consisting each of three thermostats,as these are sufficient to illustrate my invention. I will describe particularly only group B, as other groups may be arranged in the same manner, and therefore will not require separate description.

From ground at the central station the circuit may be traced through battery c and relay d, and thence by line e through my automatic signalbox f. After passing through the signal-box line e divides into branches 1, 2, 3, &c., each branch passing through the electro-magnet of its number of the annunciator g, and thence, as shown, through a thermostat and to ground.

If desired, a metallic circuit may be used instead of the ground-circuit. A Whenever the circuit is closed at a thermostat, currentwill be sent from the -batteryc through thebox f. The box,being thus turned in, sends in its signal automatically, and the particular number of the box is indicated upon the register h at the central station. The patrolman, by going to the annunciator g, at a glance may see in which room the fire is burn- IDO ing. The box, having thus done its work, is preferably so constructed that the circuit of line e will be left open at the box until the attendant again restoresitto its normal position.

I will now describe more in detail the const-ruction of my automatic fire-alarm box, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Ordinary clock-work is provided and so arranged that when the lever t' is released the characterwheel k will be set in motion.

The character-wheel shown in the drawings is adapted to send in the number seventy-one (7l) twice during a single revolution. The lever i is provided with the pin Z, which normally rests against the stop m of the armaturelever u, as shown in Fig. 1. When current is sent through the electro-magnet o, armaturelever u is drawn down, releasing the lever t'. The characterwheel k is then free to revolve, propelled by the clock-work. As the contactspring p cornes in contact successively with the teeth ofthe wheel, the circuit is closed and the relay d and register at the central station record the number in the usual manner. The character-wheel, having thus in course indicated the particular number of the box twice, is arrested as the pin comes in contact with the stop q. llhe circuit of the box is thus left open, as indicated at r in Fig. 2. It now, while the box is thus left open, another box should be turned on, there will be no interference with any other signals.

It' the circuit of the box were not thus left open, it is evident that the register or other instrument for indicating the number of the box would remain closed to battery. If while thus closed another box should be turned in, no record would be made, and, moreover, only a portion of the current from the battery would be sent to the circuit of the box thus turned in, while the circuit remained closed through another box. Vith boxes thus included in the circuit of each group, false signals will be readily distinguished from those sent in by the boxes. Suppose, for example, line @should be grounded or crossed between the relay at the central station and any one of my firealarm boxes, it is evident that false signals thus sent in and registered will not be con founded with specific signals sent in from the boxes.

I claim- The combination, with the break-wheel provided with the characters for indicating a given signal twice, of the clock-work, the cir cuitcloser p, the arm t', provided with the stop Z, the armature-lever n, provided with stops m q, the lire-alarm circuit, the electromagneto, included in said circuit, and registering apparatus, substantially as vshown and described.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my naine this 18th day of May, A. D. 1883.

JOHN YOUNG. 

